Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, 27 June chaired a Lok Darbar in the Sabarmati Assembly area under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, engaging directly with representatives of residential societies and reviewing a range of local civic concerns. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present at the gathering.

Key Civic Issues Raised

Residents and society office-bearers brought forward concerns spanning roads, drainage systems, stormwater management, drinking water supply, and railway crossings. They also acknowledged ongoing development works already under way across the area.

Local administrative and municipal officials participated in the discussions alongside elected representatives, underscoring the coordinated approach to addressing constituency-level grievances.

What Shah Said on Development

Addressing those gathered, Shah said the Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been extending financial assistance to street vendors to support their livelihoods and recognise their role in the informal economy. He noted that 8,970 street vendors in the Gandhinagar constituency had received loan assistance under the initiative.

Shah recalled his 30-year public life, beginning in 1997, while interacting with residents of Ranip and adjoining areas, and expressed appreciation for their continued support. He stated that his objective since being elected to the Lok Sabha had been to develop the Gandhinagar constituency into 'the most developed constituency in the country', adding that progress was being made through coordinated efforts of state and local administrations.

'Development in the region had been continuous and would further accelerate in the coming years. Efforts are underway to develop Ranip West as a key urban centre,' he said.

Infrastructure and Welfare Highlights

Shah cited a range of civic infrastructure projects completed across the constituency, including community halls, parks, gardens, lakes, roads, libraries, and gyms. He said 161 village libraries had been established, with another 100 scheduled for inauguration in August, and approximately 3.5 lakh books distributed in rural areas.

On welfare, he highlighted a 'toy bank' initiative under which 28,000 toys had been collected for distribution to Anganwadi children, alongside free meals provided by party workers to patient attendants at Sola Civil and Gandhinagar Civil hospitals.

Green Goals and Health Coverage

Shah said green cover in the constituency had increased by 12.5 per cent, with a further 12 per cent expansion targeted during the upcoming monsoon season. He urged residents to participate in plantation drives, solar energy adoption, and groundwater conservation, calling for collective efforts to build a 'green constituency'.

Officials noted significant progress in water conservation through percolation wells and solar rooftop installations, and said 88 per cent of citizens above 70 years of age had been covered under the Ayushman health scheme.

Chief Minister Patel, in his remarks, described it as a matter of pride for the constituency to be represented by Shah, citing his 'continued engagement in development and public welfare activities across the region.' The Lok Darbar format — a direct public-interaction model — signals Shah's intent to maintain constituency-level visibility ahead of continued urban expansion in the Gandhinagar belt.